Note: This is a seattlepi.com reader blog. It is not written or edited by the P-I. The authors are solely responsible for content. E-mail us at newmedia@seattlepi.com if you consider a post inappropriate.

Seattle: We’re childless and living alone

On the tail of a recent Census release – which revealed the number of people living alone in Seattle is much higher than the national average – Census data now reveals Seattle has the 2nd lowest concentration of children among the major U.S. cities (San Francisco is #1).

Less than 20 percent of Seattle households include children younger than 18. The national average is 34 percent.

Why is this? Is Seattle, specifically Belltown, child unfriendly?

Seattle Time’s reporter Lornet Turnbull (article here) says one-reason families have historically fled to the suburbs is the perception that inner city schools are not up to par with schools outside of the city and cities are not safe.

While Belltown has had a spike in crime recently, our neighborhood feeds into some of the best schools in the city – Queen Anne schools and Garfield High School – therefore a lack of quality schooling should not be prohibitive to raising children in Belltown (school stats here)

What really is prohibitive to raising a family in Belltown is the high-cost of living and lack of affordable housing. Why raise kids in an 800 square foot apartment in Belltown, where drugs are readily available on 3rd & Bell, when you can raise your family in a sprawling home in the “safe” suburbs (for the same price)?

I think Seattle will remain childless and alone for the foreseeable future.

Note: This is a seattlepi.com reader blog. It is not written or edited by the P-I. The authors are solely responsible for content. E-mail us at newmedia@seattlepi.com if you consider a post inappropriate.